Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,156
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had exhausted her and all she wanted to do was sleep. He was right, however. They would certainly talk later.
ttt
In the morning, Will bore his new son to Arundel’s chapel and had him baptised and christened Godfrey, for Adeliza’s father.
Her kinswoman Melisande and her husband Robert stood as godparents. Following the ceremony, Will returned his son to the confinement chamber. Even as he walked up the stairs, he was still undecided about telling Adeliza his news. Her health had been challenged enough by the birth, and he knew she would fret.
When he entered the room, she was out of bed, sitting on the window seat dressed in a loose silk robe. Her chamber attendants had set out food on a trestle—bread, honey, warm curd tarts, and a jug of hot wine—so he knew she wanted him to stay awhile. “Young Godfrey has the voice of a bull calf,” he said with a chuckle as he kissed the baby’s cheek and handed him to his nurse. “I thought he was going to roar down the roof when Father Herman baptised him. He is certainly going to be heard across a battlefield.”
“Pray God that he will not need to utilise such a skill,” Adeliza replied with a shudder. “Better he should use it to sing God’s praises than for fighting.”
Will prudently held his tongue and escorted her to the trestle, making a fuss of her and ensuring she was comfortable. He poured her wine and served her himself with bread and honey.
Adeliza ate well but daintily and as always Will was fascinated by the way she managed not to let drop a single crumb. He sucked honey off his own fingers and surreptitiously fed crusts to Teri under the table.
Adeliza rinsed her mouth with wine and then turned to him. “Tell me what you did not tell me yesterday,” she said. “I know you were holding something back.” 387
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He thought wryly he should have known he could not hide anything from her. He picked up his own cup and turned it round. “Stephen is besieging the empress at Oxford.” Her eyes widened in dismay.
“We crossed the Thames last week. A local guide found us a fording place, although we had to swim the horses across. The garrison tried to stop us, but we had their measure and they were unable to close the gates against us.” He spoke without inflection, avoiding her gaze.
Adeliza felt queasy. She knew what happened to the people when the gates were forced open by the enemy.
He opened his hands, palms spread outwards. “With Robert of Gloucester away in Normandy, it is Stephen’s best opportunity to take her and end all this. Oxford’s castellan died three weeks ago, and there is no one of sufficient military standing there to take the fight to Stephen. It will be over as soon as the castle runs out of supplies.”
“And then what?” she demanded. “What will happen to Matilda?”
“I do not know. He may send her back to Anjou, or make an arrangement with regards to Normandy, because he cannot win that back from the Angevins now.”
“Or he may imprison her.”
“Yes,” he said wearily.
“What of Robert of Gloucester and Brian FitzCount?”
“They are powerless. FitzCount does not have the resources, and even if Gloucester returns with an army, he will have to organise a campaign.” He took her hand in his. “Her back is to the wall, my love. I am sorry to give you this news because I know how much you care about her and feel responsible for her, but, truly, there is nothing you can do.”
“And did you come away so you would not be a part of it?”
“Stephen cannot keep his entire army in the field for months 388
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on end. I have leave to come home to Arundel until after your churching, but then I must return to him.” He gave her a troubled look “I hope Oxford falls in my absence. I would rather not be there when Matilda surrenders.” Adeliza set her jaw. “She will never surrender. God has always seen her safely out of danger before.”
“She has never been in so difficult a corner, my love, not even at Winchester. At Arundel, Stephen let her go. He will not make the same mistake again.” He shook his head.
“Enough. I do not want you to dwell on such thoughts when you are so recently out of childbirth. What will be, will